


Motherhood and How it Suits

by msariadneoliver



Category: Hanna (2011)
Genre: Adopted Children, Gen, Hanna Weigler au, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Mighty Thor appreciation, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Out of Character, Very much AU, sorry about that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-06
Updated: 2018-03-06
Packaged: 2019-03-27 18:45:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13886892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/msariadneoliver/pseuds/msariadneoliver
Summary: Summary from my original Tumblr posting: AU, where Erik is the one who murdered Johanna, and Marissa adopts Hanna and raises her as her daughter. In this particular oneshot, Hanna is eight, and Marissa receives word about Erik Heller’s possible whereabouts





	Motherhood and How it Suits

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a dopey little oneshot that I posted on Tumblr about a month ago and I thought I would post here too. The summary sort of explains the alternate universe, but essentially, it inverses Marissa and Erik's roles in Hanna's life, where Erik is more of the villain, and Marissa adopted Hanna and raised her in Virginia. It's just this oneshot for now, but I may write more for it in future because tough characters being loving parents is basically my favorite thing, and I enjoy writing Hanna and Marissa as mother and daughter.

Marissa finished securing the piece of vinyl around its intended handle, which was coated in layers and layers of silver duct tape. The final step in her little side project; a replica of Thor’s hammer. She inspected her handiwork with the semblance of a smile on her lips, holding the thing like she herself were some mighty warrior, just as Lewis walked into her office.

“I’d say that this was an hour of my time well spent, wouldn’t you?” She asked him, drily and unabashed.

“If you’re trying to sate some newfound love for Viking culture,” Lewis replied, with a bemused expression. Marissa rolled her eyes.

“It’s for my daughter, actually.” Though she figured he probably knew as much and was just pulling her leg. Still, context would probably be helpful. “Hanna’s been learning about mythology in school and has this book on the Norse myths she’s just attached to. Thor’s her favorite.”

“She’s always had good taste, that one,” He remarked, and she couldn’t help but agree. She set down the homemade hammer and turned her full attention to him.

“What can I do for you? What’s going on?” She asked. At this, his expression faltered. Her eyes narrowed. “It’s bad, isn’t it?”

“Bad.” He agreed, but added hastily, “Nothing to panic over, I mean, but -”

“Get to the point, Lewis.”

“Right. Okay. Um, you might want to have a seat.” She frowned.

“Why do people think that you’ll somehow take bad news better if you're sitting down?” Yet she did as he asked, and indicated for him to take one too. He began to fidget, unable to look directly at her.

“We think Erik Heller may have been spotted outside of Berlin. He fled before anybody could detain him,”

Her stomach dropped and her blood ran cold.

“Did they at least get a sense of his direction,” She finally managed to ask, her voice hoarse. Lewis only shook his head.

“I’m sorry.” The silence hung in the air, and she slunk back in her chair with a sharp exhale. Her fingers dug sharply into the arm of the chair.

“We’ve got people looking into some possible leads.” Lewis finally explained, feebly. “We don’t think the situation is qualified as dangerous at this moment. It doesn’t look as though he’s headed here. There’s a chance it might not even be Erik Heller.”

“It’s him,” She said, firmly. “The optimism is sweet, Lewis, but …” She trailed off, her gaze shifting to her free hand. Finally, unable to resist the most pressing question any longer, she asked, her voice uncharacteristically meek,

“Do you really think it isn’t dangerous? Is Hanna …?”

“No. She shouldn’t be in any danger. He wouldn’t dare - besides, we’ve got people with their ears to the ground, here and there … and - and Hanna’s got you-” He seemed to think he’d crossed some sort of line, with his words, but Marissa softened and relented.

“Yes. You’re right.” She agreed. “And you’ll let me know if the situation changes. For better or for worse.”

“Course.”

“Thank you, Lewis.” She managed a smile again and began to absently run her hand along the handle, of the duct tape Mjolnir (she couldn’t help but hear it in Hanna’s voice, “Mew-meer”). Lewis seemed to sense where her thoughts had headed, and, as was his way, tried to bring in a less dower mood,

“How is she, anyway? Hanna?”

“Good. Great, actually.” Marissa spoke with genuine warmth. “Getting too big, too fast, and so so smart and so sweet. I couldn’t ask for a better kid.”

“That’s good.” He stood to his feet and so did she, and he began to make his leave. At the last second, she said,

“Thank you, Lewis. For telling me.”

“Of course.” He said. “It’s only right you knew. And -” a beat, as he scratched at the back of his neck. “For what it’s worth, Ms. Wiegler, if it’s not out of place to say so. Hanna couldn’t ask for a better mother, either.”

“You flatter me,”

She assured herself she was fine, and assured him too. He’d done his job, and he meant well. Erik Heller was still somewhere out there, yes, but what mattered was that Hanna was still safe. That’s what was important. Yet, that gnawing in the pit of her stomach still remained for the rest of the afternoon.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The seven-year old’s face lit up the second she walked outside and saw Marissa standing outside their car.

“Mommy!” Hanna raced over, and threw her arms around Marissa’s middle, hugging her tight.

“Hey, there, baby girl,” She returned the hug, as she always did, yet today she found herself holding onto Hanna just a little bit closer, just a little bit longer than what might be usual. Her eyes flickered around, nervously. There was only other children, their parents doing the same as her. She quickly tried to shake her nerves and gave her full attention to her daughter. “And what did you do today?”

“We talked about these Italian painters. And then we made paper lanterns.” Hanna said, matter of factly. She pulled back to show off the one slung around her hand. It was a bright magenta, adorned with bright acrylic pain that created nonsensical patterns with that familiar childs’ unevenness. “Isn’t it pretty?”

“It sure is, sweet pea.” She looked around again, hating herself and her paranoia, the way even the single dad she didn’t recognize straight away stick out in her vision and send her heart racing. “Let’s get home, why don’t we? I’m starving.” Hanna happily obliged, crawling into the backseat of their little van, resting her lantern in her lap.

“I’ve got a present for you,” Marissa informed her, once they were safely cruising down the roads,

“Really?” Hanna responded with wide blue eyes and a bit of a dazed, lopsided grin, “But my birthday isn’t for …” She mouthed the calculations, tilting her head in thought, “Three more months.”

“I know, I know. It’s a really early birthday present, how about? It should be hiding under the seat there.” Slowly, Hanna reached down and retrieved the gift. Marissa could see the metamorphosis in the child’s face from the rearview mirror, and she couldn’t help but smirk at the visible delight.

“It’s just like Thor’s!” She exclaimed, holding it inches from her face, with both hands, “Mew-meer! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“It’s just a shame you don’t like it one bit,” Marissa remarked, with a chuckle,

“I do like it. I love it!” Her joy seemed like it might just bubble over, and more and more thanks spilled out. “Can we play Mighty Thor with it when we get home?”

“That depends,” Marissa said, as she turned a corner, “How do you play Mighty Thor?” She did have something of a guess. While Hanna explained the rules of her game, which primarily involved Thor going on adventures and fighting monsters - Marissa supposed that’s where she came in - with such animation in every word and every movement. A lump began to rise in her throat, her vision momentarily becoming blurred. She didn’t have any idea what she would do if something happened to Hanna if Erik did somehow get to her before Marissa could stop him. She knew her promise to Johanna, and she didn’t doubt her own abilities … but she wasn’t invincible. Maybe Thor was, but Marissa Wiegler wasn’t. It had been nearly six years since the threat of Erik Heller really loomed over her like a dark ominous cloud - plagued with sleepless nights and agitated paranoia - added with the stress of a restless toddler adjusting to a new home. There was a flash of anger, of defiance, at the thought. She wouldn’t let him win, not like this. She wouldn’t go through that again, wouldn’t let him terrorize their lives all the way from Berlin. It wasn’t fair. Not to her, and more importantly not to -  

“Mommy?” Hanna’s tiny voice brought her back to reality.

“Yes, baby?”

“Are you okay?” That was her little girl for her. So intuitive.

“Yep. Just fine.” She lied, wiping her eyes and quickly maneuvering the conversation. “Tell you what. After dinner, we can play as much Mighty Thor as you want. How does that sound?” It sounded like a pretty good arrangement for Hanna, and the girl conveyed as much through giggles, happily oblivious to the world around her.

When they returned to the apartment, Hanna sprinted with high energy towards her room, to put her new treasures away for safekeeping. Marissa hesitated, standing in the middle of the room, taking in as much the banal, familiar setting as she was able. The photographs and child’s drawings on the mantels. The books lining the shelves. Perfectly arranged lilies in a vase next to a picked bouquet of dandelions in a dixie cup. It was almost too surreal for her, at that moment.

“Hanna Banana, can you come back out here a minute?” She asked, suddenly. Hanna emerged from her room again.

“Whassamatter?” She said.

“Nothing’s the matter. Just -” Her voice was unsteady. “I just realized that I could really use a hug, right now.”

“Oh. Okay.” Hanna walked over closer, allowing for Marissa to scoop her up tightly in her arms. She leaned her head against her daughter’s, closing her eyes, taking in the smell of her strawberry shampoo, and clutching on like that would solve everything. It did make her heart feel less heavy, less tight in her chest.

“I love you so, so much, sweetheart.” She said, ignoring that lump in her throat again. “You know that, right?”

“Uh huh,” Hanna replied, her voice muffled against Marissa’s blazer. “I love you too, Mommy.” Marissa kissed the top of her head, and her cheeks, for good measure, and pushed blonde curls back behind her ears with affection.

“Do you want to help me with dinner?” She asked. “You can help me mash up the potatoes.”

“Yeah!” Hanna said to her eagerly, and the mother and daughter set off for the kitchen, Marissa still holding Hanna close to her.

This was her life now. Not Erik Heller. Not top secret, highly illegal programs that involved shooting and guns and danger at every turn. Granted, her job still carried danger. Erik Heller would always be present, somewhere out in the world, and always in the back of her mind. But it wasn’t her life. There was just her. And Hanna. Motherhood that suited her alright. Making mashed potatoes with milk and a little pepper, and playing the Mighty Thor in the backyard until the sun went down and they were worn out. It might not make all the danger, all the worry go away completely, but for now, it was enough.     


End file.
